Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

I’ve had a lot of you wondering when I was going to do a complete white wine tasting, so this week, this tasting is for you! It’s Pinot Gris, and it’s the most requested white wine here in the shop. And it’s hot! (Especially when heated. Not recommended.)

Pinot Gris, or in Italy Pinot Grigio (because it SOUNDS Italian when you add the -gio) is a grape that is a natural mutation that came from Pinot Noir, the grapevine variety that is the most prone to mutate, like the X-Men of the wine world. (Pinot Blanc is also a Pinot Mutant.) The vines look identical in leaves, berry size and clusters, and only distinguishable from each other after Pinot Noir grapes ripen to a darker color.

The grape originated in France’s Burgundy region, but is best known from the Alsace region of France where it is also named Tokay d’Alsace. It has no relation to the Hungarian Tokay (Tokaji), although if I remember correctly, it got that name from a mistaken identity long ago. So in considering the French origin of the name, the “Pinot” part comes from the pine cone shaped berry clusters of the grapes, and “Gris” comes from the French word for Grey, one of the hues to which the Pinot Gris grapes may ripen: blueish grey to a pinkish brown. . .the last of which isn’t really grey at all, so we’ll go with the first one. (“Pinot Pinkish-Brown” doesn’t sound all that attractive. . .or in French, “Pinot Brun Rosatre”). And in California, just like when they market Syrah under the name Shiraz, when it’s called Pinot Grigio, it’s all marketing (because it SOUNDS Italian when you add the -gio).

Wasn’t that educational? It’s more than you ever needed to know about Pinot Gris. The important part is that it can be a light-bodied to full-bodied white wine with a lovely fruit character that goes well with sunny summer days and barbequeued anything. And I’ll be pouring 7 of ‘em Friday! Get ‘em while they’re hot! (Served chilled.)

So Friday, May 21st, between 4:30 and 9:00 PM it’s:

Pinot Gris!
Willow Crest 2003 Pinot Gris, Yakima Valley, Washington
Scarbolo 2001 Pinot Grigio, Friuli, Italy
Lumos 2002 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Bergstrom 2003 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Pike & Joyce 2003 Pinot Gris, Adelaide Hills, South Australia

The Extra-Special Premium Pours:
Rex Hill 2002 Jacob-Hart Vineyard Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Domaine Lucien Albrecht 2002 Tokay Pinot Gris, Alsace, France

A good deal at $10 for the first 5, and $6 for the Extra 2 Premium Pours.
Hope to see you here!
Seize the Wine!

Next week is the A Wonderful Washington Selection!
M